1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to internal combustion engine ignition systems and, more particularly, to a solid state ignition system having a variable percent current limiting time for improved acceleration performance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art is replete with ignition systems for providing firing spark to internal combustion engines and which linearly vary the dwell time of the ignition firing cycle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,912 describes such an ignition system wherein the dwell time of the ignition system is linearly regulated to provide fired current-limiting (excess dwell current) time of the coil energizing current with respect to the total firing cycle period of the internal combustion engine.
One of the concerns with present day ignition systems is that the systems operated under high or rapid acceleration rates. The present invention provides a method of regulating the coil current-limit time to a variable percentage of the firing cycle to provide better acceleration performance. Additionally, some prior art ignition systems of the same type as herein described require a minimum of four discrete capacitors to provide adaptive dwell and start dwell control. Thus, a need exists for minimizing the number of capacitors required for operation of these ignition systems.